Cracking Slabs
 

For those of you who rescue cards from plastic tombs, do you have limits on doing this? Are you targeting mid or lower grade slabbed cards for this, or will you also crack out higher grade material?

For me, there are two factors I consider when deciding to crack open a slab - purpose and value:

If it's for my personal collection and I plan to keep it raw, nothing else matters. I'll crack it no matter the value (or grade).

If I'm cracking it to re-sub, then I consider the value before cracking it. If it's less than $100, I'll usually crack it and submit it raw. I'm of the belief that a TPG (any of them) does look at the grade on another TPG's slab upon a cross-over review. I believe that's the first thing they consider when determining their own grade, so it's better to submit it raw. If the card is over $100, I'll usually try an equal crossover (still in the slab first).

Thanks, David. For me, this is about collecting. I am not thinking in terms of sending to a TPG. However, I do agree with what you said.

Anyone else? I have a few '57 Topps stars graded 6s and 7s. The commons are all natural and in similar condition. I have thought about cracking out the 3 star cards I have that are 6s and 7s and storing the whole set in a toploader binder. I get the investment part, but I am much more interested in my cards for collecting and simply enjoying them.

I've cracked every 4, 5, and 6 I have ever got. Only once did I crack a 7, and that was a 54 Topps card not worth much. All that said, I only collect raw cards for sets and am not a fan of the inconsistent world of graded cards. The only time I get a graded card is if that is the best deal to me for the condition at the time...I buy the card, not the plastic. I highly doubt with my collecting methods I would ever end up with an 8 or above...as I will find a better deal in the same shape with a raw card.

Raw ?
 

Not raw.. cards in their natural state, nothing raw about them

I would also like all of my sets to be natural/raw/ungraded. I am torn between cracking out cards like my '57 Frank Robinson rookie that is graded SGC 84 (and deserves it) or sell it and move down to a centered 5 that is good for its grade and crack that out and create a little cash flow in the swap. I am not that hung up on the number assigned to it, as long as I am happy with it. I know some people are, and I could make a little $ and have a raw set.

Most of the time when I buy graded cards it is to sell or trade. Everything for my personal collection gets rescued and set free from the ugly holders. Going to be setting free 2 T210's soon.:D

Even if in higher grade?

Because higher graded cards are usually at least 10X the price of a ungraded card in the same exact condition I do not buy them for my PC. If by chance I do get a high graded card at a reasonable price I crack it in the 2 seconds it takes to free the card.

Thanks, Ben. I don't have any major high grade stuff....highest is a 7. I hear ya on the high prices of highly graded cards. I don't own any like that. I only have the 7s I have because I was able to get them at a reasonable price. I am thinking of cracking and storing in toploader binders.

Toploaderbinder
 

Has anyone used a toploaderbinder? If so, what do you think?

I've never heard the term "raw" until I joined here...haha...

Crack or Not?
 

I absolutely agree with David. This would be a huge consideration if I ever have to submit a card for grading (I don't). I am primarily a set collector. Although I do not play the registry game I frequently buy graded cards. I usually keep my high $$ cards in their TPG holders for extra security. Then it ends up bugging me that I have a blank in my binders so I end up buying an extra card of the same player and filling the slot anyway.

However, I get a lot of enjoyment out of flipping through the graded cards in cases, which are stored separately in a secure environment. I rotate the cards on my desk. Cards are meant to be enjoyed and I find the TPG case gives me comfort when I have them out for my own enjoyment. I also find that some of the pre-war cards I collect are fragile (T200, V61) and having some form of case or protective plastic is almost a necessity.


Z Wheat

Flip
 

You can always keep the "flip" if deciding to resell for the lower-midgrade+ cards...

That said, for 7.5-9 cards would be better to not to crack out as a raw buyer might be suspicious, etc and would rather have the card in the original slab

pure

Pure
 

:)